• Exercise and gut microbiota synergistically delay aging, with combined intervention yielding greater benefits than either alone.
• Exercise modulates gut microbiota composition and function, promoting short-chain fatty acid production and reducing inflammation.
• Different exercise modalities (aerobic, resistance, combined) differentially affect aging through distinct gut microbiota alterations.
• Exercise-regulated gut-organ axes (e.g., gut-brain, gut-muscle) play critical roles in aging-related disease prevention.